internet connection windows on start up

windows ME: On start up before windows shows up an internet connection window appears. I click cancel and then while windows is loading another internet connection window appears. I cancel that one and then all is ok. On shutdown, after windows dissappears another internet connection window appears. After a few seconds this one goes away on its own. If I do nothing on start up, then windows will load ok but 2 internet connection windows are sitting there. Clicking cancel on each one makes them go away. Is it possible that I have some program trying to start up? I am not familiar with all the half words and .dpx, .exe, ect. that show up when I bring up the add/remove programs on the start up task bar. Can anybody help???

i windows ME also and mine does same thing. did not always do that... but now does. basically posted so you know you are not in the only one in that boat! i keep figuring virus of some sort.. though not sure which one?!?

I do have Norton anti-virus and run automatic update 2 times a week. Sorry I don't know what ad aware is. I also keep getting an email from (it says) Microsoft with the subject line " Use this patch immediately" and my automatic anti-virus scan says it has a virus or is corrupt (can't remember right now) and deletes it. I have never opened this thing up but I would be willing to bet it didn't come from Microsoft.
Thank you vaavaavoom for your encouragement. Its good to know I am not in a one man canoe trying to paddle up stream at Niagra Falls.

If you have norton automatic live update enabled or if you have the windows automatic update option turned on the system will look for updates when you boot up. This will require a connection so most likely this is what is happening. You could disable Nortons auto live update but then you have to remember to check for updates from tie totime.

Do not disable Norton's automatic update or the Windows update feature. That advice is way off base.

You are launching one or more programs at startup. This is most likely a spyware program, but it may also be a trojan horse.

Run ad-aware or some other good anti spyware program. If you cannot make the problem go away then reformat your hard drive and reinstall your operating system. Better yet, reformat your hard drive and install Windows XP, as it is far superior to Window MyEnemy.

i had a similier problem with windows xp recently. i don't know if this will help,but i uninstalled a recent program and
ran a virus scan from ad-ware and norton,after which i shut down my computer and restarted. everything was fine again. whew!!
good luck

Try pressing F8 during boot. This will allow you to see what is starting during the early part of the boot process. This MAY show you what is initiating the Internet connection. I say MAY because it will only show batch-like commands. But it's worth a try.

what are "batch"commands lol... i probably know but may not know that terminoligy... i usually call things the thingy or whatever lol... i know what i mean and IT people at work know what i mean... lol... and i know the screen you are talking about ... sorry i sound like a blithering idiot at this point

Just to update this post and all you helfull members. I have now installed Spybot and ran it. The first time it came back with a jillion "RED" thingies and a few "GREEN" thingies. The program advised me to delete the ones in red and to think about the ones in green. Some of the ones in green didn't look important to me so I decided to delete them.
After 2 days of utter confusion I re-installed my Norton Anti-Virus and ran the Spybot again. This time I only deleted those items marked in RED. Good results. Ran Windows update, Scan Disc, Norton Virus scan, and Defrag. All systems are go.However..... I still have 2 connection windows on start up and 1 connection window on shutdown........AND I CAN LIVE WITH IT!